All vendors aren’t created equal. Tipping is not mandatory and is not required for all vendors. Tipping is a reward giving to exceptional vendors who go far beyond the call of duty to make your wedding day a success. Any vendor that stands out due to their excellence service deserves a tip. Brides should create a tipping budget and be selective in their tipping. Don’t let vendor tipping catch you off guard, be proactive and follow our Vendor tipping guide.

Before tipping any vendor, be sure to consider the following:

Check your contract

Before you start to consider tipping, go over your contract. Some vendors may have included tips and gratuities in their pricing. This is especially the case with venues and catering services.

Don’t pay the boss

Tip the person who actually works the wedding. For example, if you purchase a dj service , you don’t tip the owner of the company, you tip the actual dj for the event.

Show your gratitude in other ways

If you can’t afford to tip generously. Consider giving a review on yelp or writing a hand written thank you note to the company.

Vendor Cheat Sheet

Wedding planner:

Since this person is directly responsible for making your day a success, you may want to tip them.

Tip: 10-20 %

Officiant:

It is customary tip an officiant. The tip usually is in the form of a donation to the religious instituition which they belong. If the officiant does not belong to a church and you pay for their services, than you are not obligated to tip them

Tip: 100.00 to their religious institution

Caterer:

Before tipping a caterer, check your contract, you may have paid the gratuity fees already. There are so many hands involved in catering. If you are going to tip then tip them 15-20% of the bill.

Tip: 15% to 20% of catering bill

Dj:

It takes a lot of skill to play the right music at the right time.

Tip: 10% to 15% of bill

Transportation:

Unless the limo service does something extraordinary, tips are optional

Tip: Optional

Photographer/Videographer:

These vendors should be tipped on their effort. If you have a hardworking photographer/videographer, then you should tip them.

Tip $100.00- 200.00

Bar service:

Most bars will have a tip jar, if there is a tip jar, don’t tip. If no tip jar, then tip the bar by giving them a lump sum that they can split amongst themselves